The word 反而 is formed by combining two distinct characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 反, carries the fundamental idea of "opposite", "reverse", or "contrary". The second character, 而, is a classical and versatile connective particle that often denotes a transition or a shift in perspective, meaning "but", "yet", or "and then". When fused, the compound literally suggests a movement or transition to the opposite of what was expected, thereby forming a single adverb that conceptually captures a turn of events against anticipation or a logical reversal.